1. Field of the Disclosed Embodiments
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing a comparatively higher speed process for surface curing of finished three-dimensional (3D) printed parts, objects and/or components, formed and/or otherwise manufactured in 3D printing systems and/or in additive material manufacturing processes.
2. Related Art
Three-dimensional or 3D printing generally refers to a broad class of techniques (also referred to as “additive material manufacturing” or AM techniques) that are usable for producing three-dimensional parts, objects or components (“3D printed parts”) often through a repetitive layer-by-layer material deposition process. 3D printing techniques employ one or more processes that appear, in many respects, similar to well-known comparable processes for forming two-dimensional (2D) printed images on image receiving media substrates. The significant differences in the output structures produced by the 3D printing techniques, even as those techniques may be adapted from loosely related 2D printing processes are generally based on (1) a composition of the deposited materials that are used to form the output 3D printed parts from the 3D printer; and (2) a number of passes made by the “print” heads in depositing comparatively large numbers of successive layers of the deposition material to build up the layers to the form of the output 3D printed parts. In sophisticated 3D printers, an ability of the printing apparatus to translate among multiple axes such as, for example, at the end of a robotic arm, provides a capacity for the 3D printer to produce 3D printed parts of virtually any shape according to computer control in the copying of a 3D model, and/or in translating modeling information to a detailed digital data source file. A large number of additive material manufacturing or 3D printing processes are now available. Principal distinguishing characteristics between the multiplicity of these 3D printing processes are in the manner in which the layers are deposited to create the output 3D printed parts and in the materials that are used to form the output 3D printed parts.
Certain of the 3D printing techniques melt or soften materials to produce the layers through using techniques such as, for example, selective laser melting or sintering. Others of the 3D printing techniques cure liquid materials using technologies for the deposition of those liquid materials such as stereolithography. Separately, in for example laminated object manufacturing, thin layers of paper, polymers or metals, may be cut to shape and joined together to form the output 3D printed parts. Each method has certain advantages, which are often balanced by certain disadvantages, making certain of these 3D printing techniques more or less acceptable in certain 3D printed part manufacturing scenarios. Principal considerations in choosing a particular 3D printing technique, and a system for carrying into effect that 3D printing technique, include speed of object production, device costs, device flexibility, and costs and choices of constituent materials for the production of the 3D printed parts, including, for example color gamut in the available materials when the 3D printed parts are intended to present particular color schemes. Some additive material manufacturing techniques are capable of using multiple materials in the course of “printing” or otherwise constructing the output 3D printed parts. These techniques are often able to print in multiple colors and color combinations simultaneously to produce output 3D printed parts that may then not generally require additional painting/finishing.
3D printers, in general, can print with a broad spectrum of different materials. These materials include, for example, extruded plastics and thermoplastics, high-density polyethylenes, certain metals (including sintered metals, metal powders and/or metal alloys), glued powder mixtures, ceramic materials and ceramic matrix composites, modeling clays, plasters and certain ink-like materials, including photo curable and/or ultraviolet (UV) light curable inks with high concentrations of solid components in solution. 3D printers can even be used to deposit layers of compositions of edible materials for producing foodstuffs in the culinary arts.
Oxygen inhibition is a critical problem that prevents 3D printers, particularly those employing using UV curable inks as the deposition material used in forming the 3D printed parts, from efficiently producing finished parts with a fully cured, and aesthetically pleasing (e.g., glossy) surface finishes.